After the French Baseball5 Open, Baseball TV France spoke to a standout player from the French champions: Thiais Tigers. Meet Franco-Cuban Omar Diodene.
BTVF: Who are you, Omar Diodene?
I’m a Cuban baseball and baseball5 player, recently naturalized French. I started playing baseball at 8 years old in Santiago de Cuba, and since 2017, I’ve been playing this sport in France.
BTVF: You have a traditional baseball career and you’ve switched to baseball5. How did that happen?
Baseball5 actually comes from a street sport that’s been played for a long time in Cuba: ‘4 esquinas.’ In 2020, I learned that this sport became official in 2017, and I immediately wanted to get involved in this discipline.
BTVF: You just won the French Open with Thiais. How did this competition go for you?
After winning silver at the first French Open, we were highly motivated to take gold this time. With Christophe Goniot and Jonathan Simancas, we developed a new defensive strategy. It helped us keep opponents from scoring many runs, especially since we were well prepared physically.
BTVF: The future of baseball5 in France seems bright. How will you contribute with upcoming competitions?
Indeed, since the first French Baseball5 Open, the number of licensed players has significantly increased, partly thanks to the French national team’s international results, which ranked 3rd worldwide. For my part, I want to focus on the 2023 European Championship in Lithuania to secure France’s spot for the 2024 World Cup. At the same time, I continue teaching this discipline to young players.
BTVF: How do you evaluate the athletic and sporting differences between baseball and baseball5?
For me, the main difference between these two disciplines is that baseball5 requires good physical and mental reflexes because it’s played on an 18m² surface with very few breaks. Personally, I find baseball5 more physically intense than baseball.
BTVF: In Cuba, baseball5 and baseball are king, but not in France. How do you think these sports can grow here?
In my opinion, for these two sports to grow in France, they need to be taught in schools, as they are in Cuba.
BTVF: What can we wish you?
To compete in future international competitions and win titles with the French national team!
Photo credits: Glenn Gervot
